THE HEADLINES:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi says, Aspirational Blocks Programme strives to enhance citizens' quality of life at block level.
Prime Minister to attend concluding ceremony of Parivartan Yatras in Bilaspur city of Chhattisgarh this afternoon.
Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan launches Bharatiya Bhasha Utsav and Technology and Bharatiya Bhasha Summit in New Delhi.
Polling for run-off between top two Presidential candidates underway in Maldives.
And in Hangzhou Asian Games, Rohan Bopanna and Rutuja Bhosale bag Gold medal in Mixed Doubles Tennis.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that the Aspirational Blocks Programme strives to enhance citizens' quality of life at the block level. Launching a unique week-long programme 'Sankalp Saptaah' at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi today, Mr Modi said the Aspirational Blocks Programme aims to enhance the governance and improve the quality of life in 500 Aspirational Blocks spanning 329 districts across India. He further stated that the Aspirational Districts Programme, ADP will be written in golden words in the annals of history.
Prime Minister said the Aspirational Districts Programme changed the lives of over 25 crore people in 112 districts and improved the quality of their lives. He said ADP has completed five years and is an example of good governance. He pointed out that the Aspirational Districts Programme showed that if there is a focus on the basics of good governance, even challenging goals can be achieved.
Mr Modi stressed that the success of the Aspirational Districts Programme will form the basis of the Aspirational Blocks Programme.
Our correspondent reports that the programme witnessed the participation of about three thousand panchayat and block-level people's representatives and functionaries from across the country in Bharat Mandapam. About two lakh people including block and panchayat level functionaries, farmers, and persons from other walks of life, also joined the programme virtually. ‘Sankalp Saptaah’ is linked to the effective implementation of the Aspirational Blocks Programme. The nationwide programme was launched by the Prime Minister on the 7th of January this year. It aims to improve governance at the block level in order to enhance the quality of life of citizens.
The Prime Minister will attend the concluding ceremony of the Parivartan Yatras, organised by the Bharatiya Janata Party in Bilaspur city of Chhattisgarh today. Mr. Modi will also address a public meeting on the occasion. More from our correspondent;
"Chhattisgarh's main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party, took out two Parivartan Yatras across the state to highlight the Central government's achievements and the 'failures' of the Chhattisgarh's Congress government on various fronts. The first Parivartan Yatra started from Dantewada on 12th September and the second Parivartan Yatra started from Jashpur on 15th September. During the yatras, road-shows were conducted in various assembly constituencies. Apart from this, public meetings were held at many places. Both these Parivartan Yatras are concluding today at Bilaspur. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the Parivartan Maha Sankalp Rally organized by the BJP. Vikalp Shukla, Akashvani News, Raipur".
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has said that the Union Government is ensuring that no section of society is left behind in the journey of development. He was addressing a gathering after inaugurating and laying the foundation stone for various development works worth over 1600 crore rupees of Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation and Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority at Tragad Lok Sabha constituency of Gandhinagar in Gujarat. Mr. Shah hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the unprecedented achievements of the G20 Summit, the historic Women Reservation Bill, the new Parliament building, and the successful landing of Chandrayaan 3 in a short period of three months.
The Home Minister also hailed the PM Vishwakarma Yojana for the empowerment of artisans in the country. Mr. Shah urged the citizens to contribute to increasing the green cover in the city by up to five per cent before 2024.
The projects launched today include the inauguration of various water supply projects, Sewage treatment plants, pink toilets, and foundation laying for the renovation work of five lakes in surrounding villages of Ahmedabad. Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel was also present on the occasion.
Later today, the Home Minister will inaugurate the permanent campus of the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research spread over 60 acres of land at Palaj in Gandhinagar.
Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan launched Bharatiya Bhasha Utsav and Technology and Bharatiya Bhasha Summit in New Delhi today. The two-day summit aims to set course for a technologically enriched future for Bharatiya languages in education. The summit will encompass three pivotal thematic sessions with special focus on the integration of technology in promoting Bharatiya Bhasha, including its role in teaching, training, examination, and translating educational materials. Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Pradhan said
From transport aircraft Gajraj to Indian pride Tejas, around 50 aircraft and helicopters showcased the prowess of the Indian Air Force (IAF) during a dazzling flypast over Upper Lake at Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh today to celebrate IAF’s 91th anniversary.
The grand event was presided over by Madhya Pradesh Governor Mangu Bhai Patel and Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan along with IAF chief Air Chief Marshal V R Chaudhury also in attendance.
The flypast illustrated a range of aircraft, including Sukhoi-30, Mirage 2000, Jaguar, LCA Tejas and Hawks, Chinook, C-130, IL-78 AN-32, and Mi-17 in vivid and varying formations. The spectacular air show began with a performance by the Akash Ganga paratroopers team.
The crowd-favourite aerobatics by Suryakiran and Sarang teams enthralled the spectators. This spectacular flypast was held for the first time in the capital city Bhopal.
The Ministry of Women and Child Development is actively participating in "Ek Tareekh, Ek Ghanta, Ek Saath" as part of the Swachhata Hi Seva Campaign, marking the 9th anniversary of the Swachh Bharat Mission. The campaign is scheduled for 10 AM tomorrow for a duration of one hour.
The Swachh Bharat Mission has launched the "Swachhata Hi Seva (SHS) - 2023" programme, which is underway from the 15th of September to the 2nd of October. The Women and Child Development Ministry has planned more than 29 thousand events with an expected participation of over 15 lakh individuals. The drives are being organised through Anganwadi Centres, One Stop Centres, and offices of the National Institute of Public Cooperation and Child Development under the Ministry.
Polling is underway in Maldives in the run-off between the top two contenders. The first round of the Presidential elections was held on the 9th of September with no candidate securing the required 50 per cent vote. More from our correspondent:
"With no clear winner emerging from the first round of polling held on the 9th of September, a run off election is being held today in Maldives to elect the fourth President after adoption of green constitution. Incumbent President Ibrahim Solih and Dr. Mohammed Muizzu who were the top two in the first round will be hoping to secure the popular vote which will assure the winner of a five year term. Over two lakh eighty thousand voters will cast their franchise in over 570 polling stations. Polling will be held till 5 pm today. It is worth mentioning that Maldives figures centrally in India’s Neighbourhood first policy and SAGAR vision and India has been the first responder for the archipelago nation in its crises".
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said that the Khalistan issue has returned due to a very permissive Canadian attitude towards those who advocate violence, terrorism and extremism. Addressing a press conference in Washington DC, Dr. Jaishankar said India has flagged the issue with Canada.
Dr. Jaishankar said, in India, it will not come as a surprise to anybody if one tells them that there are people in Canada who are advocating violence, separatism as there is a history out there. He said that it is very important that the US has India’s point of view on the matter as well, because Washington has good relations with both Ottawa and New Delhi.
Dr. Jaishankar highlighted the incidents of threats, violence, and intimidation against Indian diplomats and missions in Canada and questioned whether the reaction would have been the same if a similar situation had occurred in any other country. He said, freedom of speech does not extend to incitement to violence.
Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Dr. L Murugan represented India at the opening of the 15th Tashkent International Film Festival (TIFF) yesterday. The Indian delegation comprised of senior film producer and director Umesh Mehra and officials of the National Film Development Corporation. India and Uzbekistan have a strong tradition of cooperation in filmmaking going back to the Soviet era. These links are sought to be strengthened by the joint work of NFDC and Uzbek Films.
Earlier, Dr. Murugan met Uzbek Culture and Tourism Minister Ozodbek Nazarbekov. Both sides noted the traditional friendship and cooperation between the countries and agreed upon the need to expand bilateral ties in various fields including filmmaking and culture.
Dr. Murugan briefed the Uzbek side on the tremendous growth seen in India's audio-visual sector due to the robust policies of the Government. He offered India's cooperation in the sphere of co-production, shooting and post-production. India is also ready to offer training for Uzbek filmmakers and students at institutions like the Films and Television Institute of India.
In Hangzhou Asian Games, Rohan Bopanna and Rutuja Bhosale bagged Gold medal in Mixed Doubles Tennis event. They defeated En-shuo Liang and Tsung-hao Huang of Chinese Taipei this afternoon.
With this Gold, India has secured 35 medals - nine gold, 13 silver and 13 bronze. The country currently stands at the 5th position on the scoreboard.
Earlier, India’s ace shooters, Sarabjot Singh and Divya Thadigol helped increase the country’s medal tally by securing the silver medal in the 10m Air Pistol Mixed Team final. The pair played against China’s Zhang Bowen and Jiang Ranxin who won by two points after six rounds of a white knuckler match.
Indian golfer, Aditi Ashok, finished at the top position in the third round of women’s golf today. There is a major chance of the country turning it’s kismet around in golf. The next and the final round is listed for tomorrow morning.
THE HEADLINES ONCE AGAIN